In brief
During a town‑hall visit in Le Porge, France, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was heckled by locals after 183 homes were burned by raging wildfires. Residents accused him of avoiding outreach, sparking threats of complaints for transparency and justice. The government has pledged €12 million to aid Gironde and Landes, while EU forces assist friends in Belgium, Greece, Spain and Croatia. Wildfire hotspots spread across Europe, with evacuations in France’s Cap Ferret, heavy fire fighting in Belgium’s Hautes Fagnes, and blaze‑riddled Greece and Croatia. The crisis underscores Europe’s record‑high heat waves and the mounting pressure on national emergency responses.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was heckled in Le Porge after 183 homes burned, underscoring the scale of the country’s wildfire crisis.
A 200‑strong crowd gathered at the town‑hall to confront the PM, who was accused of refusing to meet residents and glossing over the fire’s operation. The organiser, Ludivine Daurignac, said riot police had blocked lines, preventing direct dialogue.
The government announced €12 million (€10 million to Gironde and €2 million to Landes) to enable local authorities to launch recovery plans swiftly and issue rebuilding permits within a month. Residents, however, fear hidden agendas and plan legal complaints demanding truth and justice.
The fire’s severity prompted the evacuation of thousands from Cap Ferret, and the incident feeds into Europe’s wider blaze crisis. Belgium’s largest nature reserve, Hautes Fagnes, faced a fourth day of fighting, while Greece’s Salamina island suffered twin outbreaks, and Spain’s Aragón region endured a soldier’s death. Croatian police arrested four suspects linked to multiple fires in Zadar.
EU air support from the Netherlands, Germany, Norway and Sweden is aiding Belgian teams and helicopters are being deployed across the continent. The Copernicus climate service recorded the hottest June‑July period on record, adding pressure on emergency services.
This sweeping wildfire saga highlights a continent‑wide crisis of unprecedented scale, urgent local demands, and escalating calls for accountable, rapid recovery measures.
